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THE d.c

Washington DC is the city everyone knows for free museums and government buildings. We idealize it’s patriotic spirit. Or rather people do. I could care less about traditional history. I often prefer story telling and how things can be interpreted by individuals over reading a sign that states ” important document is here.”

Needless to say it was not high on my exploring list. But things change, and as usual the hipster invasion is real in DC. My brother moved into the Bushwick circa five years ago called Petworth. In Washington fashion it’s a cleaner up and coming neighborhood, but similarly lacking a central grocery store while having plenty of room for many dive bars. One main attraction for me was all of the rooftop bars. An amazing feat for a city that has winter. The Red Derby is one such rooftop dive bar. It features many beer and shot specials, fried foods, and an ambience of kids smoking and playing board games.

We took the car and drove around neighborhoods I never heard of before including Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, Logan Circle, and a few things around U street. They are all reminiscent of other neighborhoods in other cities, but the heaviness of being the Capital tends to leave a weight on each hippy record store or douche bag club.

We did stop at a few museums filled to the brim with tourists. The Hirshhorn featured a Barbara Kruger instillation and the National Gallery had a Wyeth show. Nothing was too interesting. The blockbusters were out for all thousands of tourists who don’t want to think too hard about art. This is not DC’s fault this is the result of summer.

Overall, its a city full of people looking for power, or for truth, or for an expensive city surrounded by cheaper cities. Although it lacks the gritty character that makes my heart swoon, DC wins with its landscape architecture and roof decks.